


Rejection - Pettybug

by ChaoticNeutral



Series: Tumblr Works [8]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Done Goofed, Adrien Rejected Marinette, Chameleon Salt, Exasperated Marinette Dupain-Cheng, F/M, Humor, In Which Protecting The Bully Was The Wrong Answer, Ladybug Is So Done, Miraculous Salt Fic, Petty Marinette, Rejection, Revenge, Salty Ladybug, Wouldn't Be So Bad But It Was For The Wrong Reason, spite
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-07
Updated: 2019-05-07
Packaged: 2020-02-27 14:35:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18741040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChaoticNeutral/pseuds/ChaoticNeutral
Summary: An alternate follow up to Apex-Primus's Moral Dues/Rejection AU.Marinette finally confessed to Adrien, only to be rejected. But the worst part isn't just that he didn't return her feelings, but that the reason was on behalf of Lila, who had been doing nothing but lying and making Marinette miserable.He knew Lila was lying but said nothing. He had told her he would support her and yet he did nothing. All he did was leave her to deal with this on her own and then judge her for it.A shame that Ladybug is rather bitter about that when her partner comes in with an all too familiar story...





	Rejection - Pettybug

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Moral Dues](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18495802) by [Apex_Primus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Apex_Primus/pseuds/Apex_Primus). 



> That's some nice angst you got there.
> 
> Hope no one minds a dash of spite to the mix.

* * *

 

It was hours later and Marinette was still furious. Even the rush of her transformation and the cold air of the city did nothing to cool her temper. So she was left standing on one of the rooftops just trying to clear her head and move past the altercation that day.

 

She was just having some trouble with the "moving past" part.

 

Because seriously, a bully? He called HER a bully? When he knew full well what Lila was doing. When he HEARD what she had said? When he had done little more than simply let it happen? How could he just turn and admonish her like that? He KNEW Lila was manipulating everyone, so why was he treating Marinette like SHE was the one in the wrong for being upset?

 

Though this wasn't the first time he'd been that way, was it? He’d done the same with Chloe, after all. Time and time again, continuously coming to the girl’s defense regardless of what she did or who she hurt. Laughing about how “she’ll never change” as if her making his classmates cry is a joke instead of a problem. Judging everyone for being happy their tormenter is gone. Keeping her from calling out Chloe for the fire alarm stunt under the guise of “no proof” even though they all KNEW it was Chloe and could have at least looked for evidence had he not stepped in.  But Chloe at least had been his best if not only friend for some years. She could at least try to understand that.

 

Lila, on the other hand, wasn’t. He didn’t have that connection to her to excuse his behavior. He even openly admitted what she was doing was wrong. So there was no reason for him to try to make Marinette back down on this one.

 

…But she had backed down on a lot of things for him already, hadn’t she?

 

Ladybug bit her lip, trying to hold back the tears.

 

It wasn’t even that Adrien didn’t return her feelings that had her so upset. She would have been fine if he didn’t like her that way, really! It would have hurt, sure, but she would have accepted it. You can’t force someone to have feelings for you, after all. And she’d been able to put her own aside to help him with Kagami before. She would have been willing to let him go and be content being his friend. Adrien was a great guy and she would have been happy with that much. She could have accepted if he just didn't feel the same. She wouldn't have blamed him.

 

But WHY did it have to be because of _Lila_?

 

He knew she was lying. He knew she was playing everyone. And he knew full well how Marinette felt about the whole thing. Yet STILL he defended her. And even worse, he outright rejected Marinette specifically on behalf of that lying fake! What was she supposed to have done? Nothing? Was that what it would have taken for him to just give her a chance? Not even on her own merit, but because she's forced to be nice to someone actively trying to hurt her? How could he expect that when they were supposed to be in this together?

 

She wilted, feeling her anger drain out of her like a deflating balloon, leaving only the embers of sadness and resentment behind.

 

He said…Adrien said it was fine if it was just the two of them.

 

So why did it feel like it was just her?

 

Maybe because it was, she thought darkly, remembering Adrien’s words.

 

Not wanting Lila to be akumatized again? Did he really think she wouldn’t be once her lies crumbled? Or anybody else who ended up hurt because of them? Was he just banking on nobody figuring that out? Was he really hoping that everyone would stay fooled forever?

 

Probably, a dark thought bubbled up and for once she didn’t push it away.

 

Her lies weren’t hurting anyone? Was he blind? They were hurting her. They had been hurting her. And it was like…

 

She shuddered, and not from the cold of the air.

 

It was like he didn’t even care what was happening. Just as long as Marinette stayed quiet and made nice no matter what Lila was doing.

 

And that…that wasn’t _fair_. Even when he said he said he would be in her corner, he might as well have been on the other side of the room for all the support he was in this.

 

She huffed, angrily. Though it was strange that for once she was allowing herself to actually be angry at Adrien. Not Lila. Not Chloe. Not her own anxiety. Not any of the barriers between her and the boy she was crushing on. No, she was angry at Adrien himself.

 

Maybe...maybe she should be.

 

Because what did that say about him? When he knew Lila was lying—knew what she was saying to Marinette and still chose to protect the liar but lecture HER. To look down on HER. To admonish HER for being upset when she had every reason to be. What, was she supposed to just sit there and take it?

 

That seemed to be what he expected. And now she didn’t know what she expected of him anymore.

 

She rubbed at her arm where he had grabbed her, still feeling the lingering pain from his grip even hours later. There may even be bruises, she hadn't bothered to check. And that was the other thing, too. He had gone so far as to grab her, refusing to let her go. The one time he touched her and it was just to try and force a promise out of her—again, to protect LILA!

 

Lila didn’t NEED any defending, she thought with a growl. That girl already had the class, the teacher, and pretty much everyone else all wrapped around her finger.

 

Adrien was supposed to be the one other person free of that web of deceit. He knew it was there. He knew it was bad. And yet it was like he was fully willing to jump into it anyway. Or guard it. What was he even playing at?

 

It was like a sick joke. He knew the truth but was keeping the lies going. He knew she knew but didn’t want her to tell. If anything, he had been putting more effort into stopping HER from undoing Lila’s lies than he was to stop Lila from lying in the first place, even as he admitted it was wrong.

 

So WHY?

 

She didn’t know. And she didn’t care. She had done so much for Adrien over the time they’d known each other. The scarf, the book, the hat, the letter, and that stupid double date. Each time she was disappointed. She had wanted him to be happy more than anything, and she knew she could handle just being a friend to him if that became the case.

 

But after what just happened? She wasn’t sure she even wanted to be that anymore.

 

“A beautiful evening to you, My Lady!” Came the call of the one other person she didn’t want to deal with right then.

 

“How are you, Chat?” She asked, mostly out of politeness.

 

He jumped to the rooftop and smiled, but appeared shaky. “I’ve had…better days, I guess. Though it’s better now that you’re here.”

 

That gave her pause and she looked over to him in surprise. “Did something happen?”

 

He winced. “You could…say that.”

 

Well, even if her day had been a nightmare, she could at least listen and try to support her partner. If nothing else, that was one thing she could say she accomplished today.

 

So she let Chat Noir vent. About his home life. About school. About this girl he had just rejected that day. About an ongoing issue between that girl and another who tended to embellish her tales too much and too often. About how that one girl kept wanting to reveal the liar and how he was against it. How upset he had been that she wouldn’t stop trying and—

 

…wait…

 

The more he talked, the more it struck her. The two girls. The scenario. A liar. An honest person. A rejection. A fight. The reason…

 

Wasn’t this… _familiar?_

 

“Oh.”

 

He nodded solemnly. “Yeah. And she’ll just be making things worse the more she tries. What if she gets this girl akumatized?”

 

This…this was too similar to be coincidence.

 

“Did you ever stop to consider…” She spoke carefully, “that this friend of yours might be just as much in danger of being akumatized as the person you know is doing wrong?”

 

“Well…” He frowned and glanced away. “She hasn’t yet. And besides, she knows better. Or at least, I thought she did.” He raised a hand to his cheek in memory. “I just didn’t think she could be a bully.”

 

That make everything click for Marinette.

 

Those were Adrien’s words.

 

This was Adrien’s story.

 

Adrien was Chat Noir.

 

Chat Noir was Adrien.

 

Her thoughts spiraled down a dark turn.

 

Adrien was the boy who had been pushing at the wrong times and in the wrong ways to win her affection.

 

Chat Noir was the boy who had been judging the wrong person about the wrong reasons to force her compliance.

 

And whether she was Marinette or Ladybug, she was quite frankly done with both of them.

 

That might have been the end of it. She could have called it a night. She could have walked away. And maybe under any other circumstances, she would have.

 

But…

 

She remembered the way he grabbed her—becoming physical in a way he never had before just to force a promise for her unwilling silence. Marinette had wanted to leave, but he hadn’t gotten his assurance yet and went so far as to grab her in a way she never thought he could do to anyone…just to FORCE her to back down when she’d finally had enough.

 

She remembered the way he so ignorantly claimed that no one was being hurt. How he knew Lila had been insulting Marinette and her family. How he had done nothing to help. And how he dismissed her feelings when she flat out told him what it was doing to her. Like she didn't matter...

 

She remembered how his concerns were for Lila—always for Lila. Don’t out Lila. Don’t upset Lila. Don’t get her akumatized. Nevermind how anyone else could feel. Nevermind how MARINETTE felt…

 

And above all, she remembered the condescending way he looked down his nose at her when he called her the bully in the situation. Like HE had any right to judge. Like SHE hadn't been the victim of bullying for years now. Even though he should have KNOWN if they really were any sort of friends.

 

It was just…so _easy_ for him, wasn’t it? When HE wasn’t the one Lila had been attacking. When HE wasn’t the one she was hurting. When HE wasn’t the one she had been pitting everyone against. When HE wasn’t the one who had ever been bullied to actually know what bullying was.

 

Okay then, she decided.

 

If he wanted to be so morally righteous? _Fine._

 

If he wanted to protect Lila? _Let him._

 

If he wanted Marinette to not point out the blatantly obvious lies? _Sure._

 

**She’ll give him exactly what he asked for.**

 

“I guess we’re both having a bad day then.” She said with a sad sigh and turning away like she was staring wistfully at the city skyline rather than trying to take the moment to school her expression.

 

“Oh?” He asked, curious.

 

“I just found out that I can’t be with the boy I have a crush on, after all.”

 

Chat started in surprise.

 

“R-really?” He asked a bit too excitedly before coughing and calming down.

 

She nodded, sadly.

 

“That’s too bad.” He finished lamely, not sounding the least bit sorry.

 

“Yeah, it’s a shame.” She said with a long sigh, playing up to the moment. “But really, I should have realized sooner. I mean, Adrien is the most popular boy in Paris. Of course he wouldn't be with me.”

 

She could practically feel the way his mind jerked to a halt.

 

“Wait— _Adrien_?”

 

She pretended not to notice the way he was staring at her. “Yes, that’s his name. I know we should reveal anything about our identities, but it’s not like this reveals too much and anyway, it doesn’t matter now.”

 

His tail flicked rapidly.

 

“W—” He paused, collecting himself. “When you said ‘Adrien’, did you mean…” He trailed off, gesturing to the billboard nearby. The one with HIS face.

 

She sighed again with all the appearance of a woman mourning a lost love. “Adrien Agreste, yes.”

 

“Y-you’re in love with Adrien Agreste?” He asked incredulously.

 

She turned to him, blinking as if in surprise at his response. “Well yes.”

 

The cat-boy looked like he was still trying to wrap his mind around it. “You’ve been…no, your crush…him? _Adrien?_ This whole time?”

 

“Of course.” She leaned on her hands and looked back to the billboard. “I had been for some time.”

 

“Oh.” He said, almost a squeak.

 

“Yeah. He was always so sweet. So kind and understanding of everyone.” She continued, pretending not to notice the way he shook or how his hands clenched with each compliment. “We went to the same school and everything. I even got to talk with him a few times.”

 

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see the way he gulped. “I see.”

 

She gave another mournful sigh. “But I supposed it just wasn’t meant to be. Such a shame.”

 

He startled, spinning to her in surprise. “What—why?!” He demanded before coughing when she looked at him incredulously and trying to cover. “I mean—he’s not a bad guy and I’m sure he’d love to date you!”

 

Ladybug chuckled at that. “Oh come on, Chat. I can’t date him.”

 

“Why not?!” He demanded. “Is it because he’s a civilian? Or are you worried something could happen to him? He’s a good fighter! I’m sure he could defend himself from any akuma!“

 

She shook her head, appearing sad once again. “I’m sure he could. I have the utmost faith in his fighting ability.” She told him, noting the way his cheeks flushed at the praise. “But Chat, I can’t just go and ask him out now!”

 

“Of course you can!” He insisted, eagerly. “I could even pass along the message. Maybe arrange a place to meet and—”

 

“Chat, he already has someone.”

 

That immediately got his attention.

 

**“WHAT?!”**

 

“He’s with another girl. Has been for a while now.”

 

Part of her hated saying it, but it wasn't technically a lie. After all, she didn't say outright that they were dating and for the purposes of her statement, Adrien had been _with_ Lila on _her side_ pretty much this entire time. It was only today that Marinette finally saw it and admitted it for what it was.

 

He gaped at her in shock. “But…when…who…?”

 

“Lila Rossi.” She said, waving off his shock. “I’m sure you’ve heard. She’s the girl who has been at the center of so much attention lately. I mean—saving Jagged Stone’s cat, meeting with Prince Ali, modeling for Gabriel Agreste. Really, it’s no wonder he would go for someone like her.”

 

“He wouldn’t! Where did you even hear that?” He demanded, actually angry.

 

She blinked at him in surprise.

 

“Didn't you know? Lila's been talking about Adrien constantly." Usually among her threats to Marinette.

 

"I can certainly understand why. They’ve been awfully close, after all. Going on dates." _'Study dates' that neither of them needed and he never declined despite knowing that._

 

"Always going off together." _Usually because of Lila dragging Adrien off somewhere and him following along like a drone._

 

"And I’ve seen the way she’s been hanging off his arm." _Like it would take a crowbar to detach her._

 

"It’s like they’re meant for each other.”  _A liar and an enabler. How could it get any better than that?_

 

She smiled widely. "I'm very happy for them!"

 

Okay, that one was a lie. She was beyond angry with both of them. But he didn’t need to know that. And if his previous behavior was any indication, he probably wouldn’t have cared anyway.

 

"They aren't dating!" Chat exclaimed in frustration.

 

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Oh Chat, you aren't jealous, are you? I know you really cared about Lila as well. I mean, seeing as how you flirted with her before."

 

"It's not that!" He denied fiercely. "None of that can be true! You know how Lila is!"

 

Ladybug shrugged. "Well sure, she lied before. But you said it yourself before that we should trust and listen, right?" Of course, that was during the mess with Vanisher when he lectured her for not listening to Chloe after she lied before, but details. "And besides, who's to say that this is one of her lies? Adrien probably sees something in her. After all, if he chose to support her, then there must be something good inside Lila."

 

Somewhere deep deep deep...DEEP down. Maybe at the center of the Earth. Or on a distant planet. Maybe Pluto.

 

“But…but…” He choked out, uncertain what to say.

 

“Chat, I’m okay, really.” She assured him with a smile that surprisingly wasn't fake. “It hurts to have to give up on a first crush like this, but I can’t just go trying to get between a couple like that.”

 

“But he doesn’t…he’s not…” He broke off, mumbling. "He doesn't feel that way about her!"

 

"I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but I'm okay, really!" She stood, facing him. "After all, who am I to try to interfere?"

 

“But you love him.” He tried, desperately.

 

“I did. But I could never come between them. It would be wrong. And just think!” She gasped in worry. “Lila could get akumatized over it! No, no! I couldn’t do that!” She shook her head again, resolutely. “I’ll just try to encourage them and wish them both happiness!”

 

Chat looked for all the world like someone had kicked his puppy and he couldn’t quite figure out whether to cry or maim them for it.

 

Ladybug smiled at him, resting her hands on his shoulders. “I’m so glad I have your support, Chat. I don’t think I could talk to anyone else about this. But thanks to you, I’m sure I can heal and move on from my crush on Adrien.”

 

Mostly because he ruined it himself, but what did details matter? They certainly hadn't mattered to him before.

 

He stared, mouth open in shock and possibly growing horror as it finally started to sink in what was happening.

 

She simply continued to smile brightly as she backed to the edge of the roof and prepared to take off. She still had homework to do. And she needed to get some sleep tonight. She had a feeling she may actually sleep peacefully after all this.

 

“Thank you, Chat!”

 

As she swung off back home, a few glances revealed Chat still standing there. As unmoving as a statue. And so he remained until she finally turned a corner and was out of sight.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, Ladybug is feeling rather petty. And Chat Noir is coming to learn he should be careful what he asks for.


End file.
